| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the fastest growing contributor to the increasing cost of living in Hawaii is the rising cost of transportation. Due to the high cost of fossil fuels and a lack of cheaper transit options, Hawaii residents already pay among the highest costs to commute per capita of anywhere in the country. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that between December 2020 and December 2021, auto-related costs rose an astonishing twenty-three per cent, accelerating a trend of increasing transit costs contributing to a rapidly escalating cost of living. The legislature further finds that because of a lack of safe pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure, many Hawaii households are forced to pay for multiple cars, often one for each member of the family. On average, families spend an additional $13,000 per year per vehicle. Access to safe, cost efficient pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure can reduce the total number of cars a family must own, saving tens of thousands of dollars per year and dramatically reducing living costs. The legislature further finds that numerous other states have prioritized the installation of cost-efficient pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure. At least twenty other states have established dedicated funding and staff for this purpose. The legislature recently increased the overall state funding available to the department of transportation. Additionally, the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will provide billions of dollars in competitive grant opportunities over the next five years, with ample opportunities to fund cost-efficient pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure. However, in recent years, millions of dollars in federal funding for infrastructure that is available to the department of transportation has gone unspent. Numerous state transportation projects have been constructed or improved without meeting the intent of existing laws that require complete streets to be built with safe, low-user-cost transit options that serve all users. Finally, the department of transportation has not made qualifying for federal funding a priority for potential projects. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to help reduce the cost of transportation for residents and ensure that the department of transportation achieves its statutory mandate of providing safe networks of cost-efficient pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure by: (1) Establishing expenditure requirements for funding pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and projects; and (2) Providing dedicated staff within the department of transportation to focus on pursuing and maximizing grant applications through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other opportunities. SECTION 2. Chapter 264, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "§264- Expenditures for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and projects. A minimum of per cent of all moneys expended by the department of transportation each biennium shall be expended on safe and protected pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure pursuant to part X, of which a minimum of per cent shall be expended on projects relating to safe and protected pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure pursuant to part X." SECTION 3. There is established in the department of transportation two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) grant writing positions to pursue, coordinate, and maximize federal funding opportunities, including funding available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. SECTION 4. All pedestrian and bicycle facilities shall meet minimum Americans with Disabilities Act standards and shall be designed to safely and comfortably accommodate unaccompanied users aged eight years old and older. SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) grant writing positions within the department of transportation. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of transportation for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050; provided that sections 3 and 5 shall take effect on July 1, 2050. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the fastest growing contributor to the increasing cost of living in Hawaii is the rising cost of transportation. Due to the high cost of fossil fuels and a lack of cheaper transit options, Hawaii residents already pay among the highest costs to commute per capita anywhere in the country. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that between December 2020 and December 2021, auto-related costs rose an astonishing twenty-three per cent, accelerating a trend of increasing transit costs contributing to a rapidly escalating cost of living. The legislature further finds that because of a lack of safe pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure, many Hawaii households are forced to pay for multiple cars, often one for each member of the family. On average, families spend an additional $13,000 per year per vehicle. Access to safe, cost efficient pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure can reduce the total number of cars a family must own, saving tens of thousands of dollars per year and dramatically reducing living costs. The legislature further finds that numerous other states have prioritized the installation of cost efficient pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure. At least twenty other states have established dedicated funding and staff for this purpose. The legislature recently increased overall state funding available to the department of transportation. Additionally, the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will provide billions of dollars in competitive grant opportunities over the next five years, with ample opportunities to fund cost efficient pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure. However, in recent years, millions of dollars in federal funding for infrastructure available to the department of transportation has gone unspent. Numerous state transportation projects have been constructed or improved without meeting the intent of existing laws requiring complete streets to be built with safe low user cost transit options serving all users. Finally, the department of transportation has not made potential projects a priority to qualify for federal funding. The purpose of this Act is to help reduce the cost of transportation for residents and ensure the department of transportation achieves its statutory mandate of providing safe networks of cost efficient pedestrian and bicycle commuting infrastructure by: (1) Establishing expenditure requirements for funding pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and projects; and (2) Providing dedicated staff within the department of transportation to focus on pursuing and maximizing grant applications through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other opportunities. SECTION 2 Chapter 264, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "§264- Expenditures for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and projects. A minimum of per cent of all funds expended by the department of transportation each biennium shall be for safe, protected pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure pursuant to part X of chapter 264, of which a minimum of per cent shall be expended on projects having a primary focus on safe, protected pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure pursuant to part X of chapter 264." SECTION 3. There is established in the department of transportation two grant writing positions whose primary goal shall be to pursue, coordinate, and maximize funding from federal sources such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. SECTION 4. All pedestrian and bicycle facilities shall meet minimum ADA standards and be designed to accommodate unaccompanied users eight years old through eighty years old safely and comfortably. SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) grant writing positions within the department of transportation. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of transportation for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2023; provided that sections 3 and 5 shall take effect on July 1, 2022. |
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